Daphne Richards-Cook, left, and Robert Cook, right, proudly envelop their eldest son, Lamont Cook, during the recent eagle feather ceremony held for graduates of Rapid City high schools.
RAPID CITY, SOUTH DAKOTA –– From watching their son grow from a small boy carrying a large violin case into school at Pinedale Elementary to watching him perform as a high school senior, a young man ready to take on the world, Robert Cook and his wife, Daphne Richards-Cook, have come through all the trials and tribulations of raising a child in Rapid City. All the stress and struggles have recently paid off as the Cooks witnessed their oldest son, Lamont Cook, receive his eagle feather and be recognized for his successful completion of high school. On May 16, Rapid City Area Schools District, in conjunction with the district’s Office of Indian Education, hosted the eagle feather tying ceremony for all graduates from area high schools. The ceremony was conducted at the Central High School gymnasium, with CHS Principal Mike Talley inviting family and friends of graduates to witness the honoring. Gerald Yellow Hawk, a local elder and spiritual leader for many in the Rapid City community, was on hand to offer his services in blessing the feathers and presenting them to the families or sponsors to tie on the heads of the respective graduates. The Cooks chose to tie their son’s feather on themselves, signifying pride in their son’s accomplishments. After the feather was tied, the Cooks draped a star quilt around their son’s shoulders and stood proudly behind him as the entire gathering, led by Talley and community dignitaries, lined up to shake the hands of the graduates. Rapid City Area Schools has been opening its doors to the Native American community by hosting events such as this one. Rural America Initiatives, led by Bruce Long Fox, has been instrumental in creating the ties necessary to establish a better line of communication between the Native population in Rapid City and the school district. The Cook family has established ties with both the local and the national education scene. Daphne is a former Rapid City Area Schools District Board of Education member, and Robert is a former National Indian Education Association president. (Contact Karin Eagle at staffwriter2@nsweekly.com) Copyright permission by Native Sun News www.nseekly.com
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